Zhang Junbao: Want to Bet? If You Win, I'll Admit You're Impressive!

Could Zhang Junbao teach disciples?

Or rather, was he a qualified teacher?

A teacher imparted the Dao, taught skills, and resolved doubts.

If he only taught Daoist scriptures, perhaps he could explain their principles and ideas quite well, because he understood them thoroughly and could explain them clearly.

But if he were asked to teach disciples martial arts?

Ha, he really couldn't teach that.

Because geniuses couldn't teach the mediocre.

Zhang Qingyuan had spoken the truth. In his previous life, there had been a genius called God Wei, and plenty of people had seen clips of God Wei's lectures online.

God Wei would lay out a set of formulas and then launch into all sorts of calculations, explaining as he calculated. Unfortunately, although he considered his application of the formulas perfectly correct and his approach to the problem very clear, eighty percent of the university students in the comments still found it like listening to a heavenly scripture.

Only a small number of gifted science students could barely keep up with his train of thought. Those who could understand everything were the exceedingly few heaven's chosen blessed with a science sacred physique.

As for Zhang Sanfeng in The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, who besides himself could cultivate the Pure Yang Wuji Technique he had created to great accomplishment?

Apart from the most exceptional geniuses, ordinary people really couldn't make sense of cultivating that technique.

The protagonist, Zhang Wuji, could learn Nine Yang and master the Qian Kun Great Shift, which was on the level of advanced mathematics, but he very likely couldn't learn the Pure Yang Wuji Technique.

A technique at that level could be described with that saying: being a genius was merely the threshold for attempting to cultivate it.

Some martial arts seemed badass, but the trouble was that they were hard to practice.

That was why, in most wuxia novels, the martial arts the protagonist acquired were both badass and easy to practice.

After dinner, Zhang Junbao was particularly unconvinced. He chased after Zhang Qingyuan, demanding, "Come on, explain it to me. What do you mean I can't teach? How can I not teach? My explanations are so clear!"

"If your explanations are so clear, why didn't Xiaoqing understand you that day? And why did he have to secretly follow us today?"

"How would I know?"

"And you sound pretty justified about it, don't you?"

"No, I'm talking about my teaching..."

"So am I!"

Zhang Junbao refused to accept it. He felt there was nothing wrong with his teaching.

"Then how about this? When Xiaoqing comes tomorrow, isn't he bringing some junior brothers too? Let's compete and see who teaches better!" He looked at Zhang Qingyuan, his gaze utterly resolute.

Zhang Qingyuan asked in surprise, "Are you sure you want to lead the disciples astray?"

"What kind of talk is that? What kind of talk is that!" Zhang Junbao said. "Just tell me whether you dare to compete!"

"Fine. I'll show you what teaching ability looks like!"

Zhang Junbao laughed. "Ha! If you teach better than me, I'll admit you're impressive!"

"Fine. If you teach better than me, I'll admit you're badass!"

Between men, the highest stakes were those very words: I'll admit you're impressive.

Although nobody knew what sort of honor "I'll admit you're impressive" was, once those words were spoken, they had to settle who was better and who had won.

The two returned to their respective rooms to prepare their lessons. After all, a man's lifelong glory was at stake!

Early the next morning, after they had risen and just finished morning lessons, Yuan Heqing brought a group of disciples over to attend their lesson.

Among those who came were four of Chen Xugu's treasured disciples.

Why four?

Because the second disciple was still out roaming the jianghu.

Of the eight direct disciples under the other elders, everyone came except the three who had duties to attend to.

Besides them, a host of inner and outer disciples came as well. Every martial Daoist who didn't have to tend the incense in the various halls was there.

After all, this was a wonderful opportunity to cultivate under two martial-genius martial uncles. Who could pass it up?

Those who couldn't come were utterly miserable, hating only that they knew no art of creating clones.

When everyone reached the entrance to the pair's courtyard, two doors opened together, and the two men emerged from their respective rooms.

They exchanged a glance, their eyes brimming with fighting spirit.

Seeing them emerge, the disciples greeted them in unison. "Disciples pay respects to Martial Uncle Qingyuan and Martial Uncle Junbao."

Zhang Qingyuan spoke first. "Martial nephews of the Pure Yang Palace, last night, your Martial Uncle Junbao and I gave it some thought. With so many disciples gathered together, you might not all be able to hear our explanations clearly, and the two of us might not be able to explain everything to everyone."

Zhang Junbao continued immediately, "So, after a friendly discussion between this humble Daoist and your Martial Uncle Qingyuan, we decided to hold separate cultivation lessons today."

Zhang Qingyuan nodded. "Our martial arts are the same, and so are our cultivation levels, so you may choose which of us you wish to cultivate under."

Zhang Junbao added, "We'll do our best to demonstrate our cultivation methods to you. Besides that, if you have any questions about cultivation, we'll answer them carefully."

"You may begin choosing now."

"Those who choose me, stand in front of me. Those who choose him, stand in front of him."

The two stood with their hands behind their backs and their heads held high.

The disciples looked at one another. Both martial uncles were peerless geniuses such as might not appear in a thousand ages. It really was difficult to choose.

One disciple offered his analysis. "I heard that Martial Uncle Qingyuan has all sorts of extraordinary ideas about martial arts, while Martial Uncle Junbao can turn Martial Uncle Qingyuan's ideas into reality."

"Doesn't that make it even harder to choose?"

"Are you stupid? Martial Uncle Qingyuan can think up so many approaches to martial arts, which means his understanding of martial arts soars like a heavenly steed across the skies. Those of you who want to practice a few more martial arts can choose Martial Uncle Qingyuan.

"Meanwhile, Martial Uncle Junbao can create them, which means his understanding of internal cultivation methods, meridian pathways, and martial arts moves has already reached the perfection of a blazing furnace. Anyone who's stuck in their cultivation can ask Martial Uncle Junbao to resolve their doubts."

"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother. I know how to choose now."

With that clarification from someone who understood things, everyone split into groups.

But before they divided up, Yuan Heqing had already brought Jiang Qinyue over to stand beside Zhang Qingyuan, while the third and fourth disciples chose Zhang Junbao's side.

The third disciple looked at his youngest junior brother, puzzled, and reminded him, "Yue'er, we both switched to cultivating the Taiqing Dongting Technique. Martial Uncle Junbao created that technique. What are you thinking, not coming over to ask him questions now?"

With a stiff expression, Jiang Qinyue followed behind Yuan Heqing with exceptional determination. "Senior Brother, don't concern yourself with me. My mind is made up!"

Jiang Qinyue had listened to Zhang Junbao's lesson that day. Good grief, listening to her martial uncle speak was just like listening to him speak.

So, of course, she wasn't going over there to suffer again today.

She didn't know why the two martial uncles were holding separate cultivation lessons today, either. When her eldest senior brother notified them yesterday, he hadn't said anything about splitting into groups. Had she known, she should have warned her third senior brother.

She wanted to warn her third senior brother now, too, but with Martial Uncle Junbao right there, she couldn't say it outright. This was all she could do.

That little fatty Fang Ming even thought his junior sister was being foolish. She didn't appreciate such a wonderful opportunity. What a pity.

The fourth disciple didn't particularly mind. Either teacher was fine with him. As the young master of the Phoenix Sect, the young lord of a first-rate jianghu sect, he acknowledged no one except his master, Chen Xugu!

He had mainly come along because everyone else was coming, and it wouldn't have been appropriate for him not to.

Before long, all the disciples had found the martial uncle they preferred.

The groups in front of the two were roughly half and half, though Zhang Junbao's side might have had two or three more people.

"Let's go!"

With his hands behind his back, Zhang Qingyuan turned and led the way out of the courtyard.

Unwilling to be outdone, Zhang Junbao tilted his head and headed the other way.

------There's more...